Hundreds of workers at Bosch Rexroth factory accept pay deal after strike action

More than 280 employees at the Bosch Rexroth factory in Glenrothes have accepted a pay offer after a dispute with the company over jobs, pay and conditions.

Following strike action during the festive period, workers accepted a 4% pay increase alongside the removal of the threat of redundancies, fire-and-rehire practices, and short-term working.

The German-owned company, which engineers parts for the construction industry, including gears and brakes, as well as parts for forklift trucks, previously proposed a new “annualised hours system.”

Unite said the proposed pay package would have “drastically” cut workers’ pay by up to 22% a month and could have left them in 37 hours of debt.

They say the system would mean that if a worker is paid for more hours than they have worked, the company could recover the overpayment as a debt.

The union said the initial proposal would have put workers up to 70 hours in debt.

Strike action was supported by 95% of the factory’s union members.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said the latest pay offer is a “significant win” for workers.

“Bosch Rexroth workers took on the company by bravely taking strike action during the festive period,” Ms Graham said.

“It was this resolve which brought the company back to the negotiating table and forced it to drop its draconian proposals.“

Unite industrial officer George Ramsay added: “We are pleased that Bosch Rexroth finally listened to its skilled and dedicated workers by removing the threat to slash pay and job security.

“The conciliation service Acas also played a valuable role in the resolution of the dispute, which must be acknowledged.

“Unite has also been able to secure a decent pay rise for the workers, which was only possible because of the determination of our members to stand firm.”

A spokesperson for Bosch Rexroth Glenrothes said: “The Bosch Rexroth Glenrothes management team is very pleased that the result of the ballot on the latest offer is the acceptance of the new contracts by employees.

“We are grateful for the positive engagement from employees and their representatives, and we firmly believe that these changes will help to achieve the sustainable future that benefits everyone at the Glenrothes plant.”